Life in Perspective

I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but I've had lots of opportunities to examine life lately. I guess we are going through one of those tough transformations when everything you were used to and counted on has disappeared. It's time to find a new way. Keep what is good, let go of the bad. In some ways it's a painful process, in others ways it can be very uplifting.

My walking buddy said she read a quote in a church magazine or article once that said sometimes you have to step into the darkness before you can find the light. I kind of feel like we are free falling from a bridge, but I guess it's the same thing. I'm just hoping for a soft landing.

Hubby's change in careers hasn't gone as smoothly as we thought, but hopefully we've got all of our ducks in a row and things will work out now. Maybe we had to experience the bad and frustrating part of the industry so that we can appreciate the good? Who knows, but we're starting it all again. He leaves on Friday and will start orientation with a new company on Monday. I'm thinking happy, positive thoughts, but I don't want to say much until the fat lady sings.

I was contemplating a career change myself. I have the skills and the experience to "upgrade" to an executive assistant and I thought that maybe all of this happened so that I would let go of the comfortable and try something new.... but then we got the news that put that on indefinate hold. My co-worker has cancer again.

We've gone from thinking the worst, to having some good news, to waiting for more news. No matter what, it's going to be a tough road ahead. One that I need to be here for. I need to be here for her and I need to be here for the firm. I can only hope that God has a plan for us and he will take care of hubby so that I can be where I need to be. Suddenly our financial situation doesn't seem quite as important anymore. Sure, it would be nice to pay the bills and keep a roof over our heads, but right now I'm just grateful that we are healthy and alive.

I guess it's all of these emotions that came to the surface while I was watching the Today show this morning. It's Katie Couric's last day on the show. I will miss her. I think part of the reason I enjoy the show so much is because I can relate to her. I cried all morning long as I watched all the tearful goodbye's and the memorable moments. I think I cried for them and I cried for what we are going through at work. I haven't gotten much work done lately. I've listened to what each of the bosses has needed to say. I've relayed information and updates. I've tried to be a source of strength for my co-worker. And as I watched the members of the Today show celebrate the relationships they have with each other, I thought about how grateful I am to work with such wonderful people. It is not often that we have the opportunity to create a second family in the workplace. Katie has been blessed with that in her job, and I have been blessed with it in mine.

We don't know what the future will hold. I guess that's true of everyone, every day, but we've been given an opportunity to glimpse the possibility of the future and it has forced all of us to take stock of where we are, what we believe, who we love and what we are grateful for.

I guess we had to take a couple of steps into the darkness to see the light that we experience every single day of our lives.

Baby Boom

We bought hubby a new hamster for his birthday. We've always "said" the hamsters were for Josh, but hubby is the big softie that gets all attached to them. Ok, so we all get attached. Some of us just get more attached than others..... Anyway, six days later it appears that we now have 7 cute little hamsters.

Last time this happened we were all a bit surprised and freaked out. This time.... it's party time. We are all so excited. We even put the video camera on a tripod so that we can watch them on the tv without bugging them. We call it "hamster vision." It's the craziest thing. All three of us will sit there and watch them forever. They are growing so fast. They don't have eyes or hair yet, but they have teeny tiny teeth.

Roxy is such a good mom so far. She's just a baby herself, yet she took to them right away. Sometimes she seems a little freaked out. She runs around the cage and looks kind of agitated, but so far she has taken good care of all of them. I suppose I'd be a little agitated if I had six babies that wanted to nurse constantly too. She's probably looking for a way to escape.

Stay tuned fo baby pictures.

Long time no update

Things have been a bit chaotic around our house. Hubby is back home. We had to work on getting some medical releases for him. Hopefully next week things will be back on track and he'll be on his way again. It's been a long frustrating process, but hopefully we've got it worked out now.

On the stamping/scrapbooking front:

Stamp Camp was last weekend. We had a great time!! All of my girls have already signed up for next year. They are ready to go back and do it again. We may even plan a few mountain retreats between now and then. We might rent the big cabin together and just crop all day and all night. Sounds fun to me. I love it up there.

Today I get my mystery box from the company. I am soooo excited. They are sending me samples of new product that will be released in the next catalog so that I can make art boards for convention. Our coach told me what's inside, so I have an idea... but I can't wait to see it live and in person. Fun, fun, fun....

This weekend is our mini-convention. A bunch of consultants have teamed up to put on a huge open house. We have a bunch of new artwork and we're all demonstrating fun techniques and hands-on projects.

Whew, I'm tired just writing about everything. My "to do" list is huge.

I've finally started edging my squares for my knitting class, which makes them much easier to photograph and share. Hopefully I'll start to post some knitting progress pictures.

Well I better run. That list is calling my name.